Lives of the last four princesses of the royal house of Stuart

1659.] SURRENDER OF THE CASTLE OF ORANGE. 127
The Count de Dona, nephew to the Princess-dowager of
Orange, was governor of the town and castle of Orange.
But the Princess-royal had appointed another gentleman
to receive the tolls, to Dona's great displeasure. On which
the King of France, taking advantage of the dispute,
pretended to favour the Princess's authority, but in reality
took means to appropriate her son's principality to himself.*
Copes, the Dutch envoy at Brussels, writes to their high
mightinesses, to report his performance of the mission on
which they had sent him to Breda, to deliver their letter
to the Princess-royal, informing her, "that they had
memorialized the King of France, in favour of her son?
requesting that his principality of Orange might not be
taken from him and his successors." " Her highness showed
herself well satisfied with what they had done, and testified
great affection and resolution to assist your high
mightinesses in your good intentions," continues Copes,
" and to second me in my endeavours ; giving me, to that
end, a letter to the King of France, and another to the
Queen of Great Britain. Also it pleased her highness to
recommend me to the Lord Jermyn, who hath great
knowledge of business, and may be serviceable in the
Court of France."! They were all mere babes in diplomacy.
Louis first ordered a frigate to attack the town and castle
of Orange, and when Count de Dona attacked the frigate
with his musketeers, sent four hundred troops to take
possession of the fortress, a force it was hopeless for Dona to
resist. About a fortnight afterwards the Count de Dona sur-
rendered the castle of Orange to the King of France, for
a consideration of two hundred thousand pounds, and thus
ended this long vexatious business, which the Princess-
royal had vainly endeavoured to prevent.
* Thurloe, vol. vii. p. 892.
t 17th March, 1660. Thurloe's ' State Papers,' vol. vii. p. 872.